Phelps Central Public School in Redbridge has joined the growing list of Near North District School Board schools with outdoor classrooms.
Ali Steer, grade 7/8 teacher at Phelps Central PS, organized and led a team of volunteers and building supply donors who helped create two outdoor learning spaces.
She says students are able to connect and be in nature while learning.
“This project’s completion is an exciting addition to our school and will set the tone for the importance of nature in the mental health and well-being of students, inspiring learning through nature, and getting our students outside more,” says Steer.
Local businesses stepped up and donated supplies and time to install a couple of four-season whiteboard structures, mulch flooring and log seating for both primary and junior/intermediate classrooms.
“To have 100 percent of the time and materials donated was just fantastic,” says Steer.” And I think it’s powerful for the students to also experience or understand the power of community coming together that people are willing to gift them this experience for their own education.”
Steer says all subjects are being taught outside, from language, math, geography, science and music.
“Outdoor experiential learning is very powerful for most students because it taps into most learning styles,” she says. “When we’re outside, we have
more space to use movement, to use tangible objects and manipulatives in a way that’s freeing for the students outside of the four walls of the classroom.”
The outdoor learning spaces were recently completed and just in time for “Take Me Outside” day on Wednesday, October 20, 2021.
The day is held to raise awareness about outdoor learning by encouraging teachers to take their students outside for at least an hour.
